Monday, March 26, 2018

Queen Valley Area Pictographs - Joshua Tree National Park

Sadly, the pictographs at this site are virtually invisible to the naked eye. It is also sad that very few of the multitude of visitors to the park have ever seen, or even heard of it.

The pictographs themselves are rather unremarkable, but the site is still amazing because of the rock formations in the area.





Backside

Backside

Front side. 


This large boulder is about 30' tall. Very impressive in person. It looks smaller in this photo because of the Joshua tree that was between me and the rock.



One of a few rock shelters in the area.

A natural water "tank" used by the local Indians that was later enlarged by local ranchers.



I had to crank up the contrast to even see a hint of the pictographs.


DStretch to the rescue. 





I have more posts from other "disappearing" sites that I'm going to try and work in here.

.





.

82 comments:

  1. That one rock formation looks like the head of a bird of prey. Impressive.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hey Alex. I saw the head, but couldn't figure out what it looked like to me.

      Delete
  2. ...few people have the interest in slowing down and enjoy the details around them. I'm glad that you did!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks Tom! That's what I like to do. I can easily poke around all day in spots like this one.

      Delete
  3. WOW! That place look amazingly special Pat!

    ReplyDelete
  4. Did this area get any moisture this winter? If so, do any flowers bloom there like other areas of the desert? Great pictures, as always.
    Mike

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It has rained there lately Mike. It even snows! I think the average elevation is about 3500'. If there is sufficient raid during the winter, there are amazing blooms there. I need to dig up some photos of it. I usually stay away when that happens because of allergies, and it gets too crowded for me.

      Delete
  5. The formations have souls...no wonder our native Americans spent time here pondering life.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. They sure do Mac. Yep, they did just fine before we arrived.

      Delete
  6. The next to last photo does look like bird of prey's head. Totally incredible and impressive. I love this place and thanks for sharing it with us Patrick.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I'm glad you like it Bill. Sharing it is my pleasure.

      Delete
  7. I can't get used to these kinds of rock formations. Who needs sculptors when rocks like this exist? Well, I don't exactly mean that . . . but no hand-created sculpture has ever taken my breath away.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I know just what you mean! EVERY time I see these places I'm gobsmacked.

      Delete
  8. Thanks for showing these, Pat. Impressive photos!

    ReplyDelete
  9. The landscape is astonishingly beautiful.

    ReplyDelete
  10. I was just reading about Joshua Tree National Park in the NYT, missing guy. It sounds like a massive place to try to find something, or someone, unless you know it well. Those rocks are huge!!!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. The rocks are huge and there are thousands of them!
      They found the missing guy after four days. He was "boulder climbing" on his own and fell. Not meaning to sound cold, but when people get lost there, it is almost always because they did something stupid. Rock climbing on their own, not taking enough water with them, not letting anybody know where they were going, inexperienced, etc. They should have to pay for the cost of finding and or rescuing them.

      Delete
  11. Beautiful as always - you make me want to take some time and visit your wonderful park.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks Al! It is well worth the time. Let me know if you do. I could steer towards some great stuff.

      Delete
  12. Some of those look like a giant might have stacked them against each other - fascinating!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks Angie! I totally agree. To be in the middle of these places makes a person seem kind of insignificant. Thanks so much for the comment.

      Delete
  13. I know what you mean, with rock formations our photos does not really give an adequate impression of how stunning and breathtaking it is! Many thanks for sharing these scenes with All Seasons! Have a beautiful week!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. You are so right Jeannette. It's like trying to take a photo of the Grand Canyon. A photo just doesn't reflect how it looks in person. You have a great week as well.

      Delete
  14. The rocks seems to be alive! Would love to visit this place!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I agree Villrose! If you ever have the chance, don't hesitate to go there. Thanks so much for the comment.

      Delete
  15. At first glance I thought that one rock had been carved to look like a hawk or eagle head. But I see I am dreaming. Thank you for the pictures of this beautiful valley -- they should be saved somewhere in the National Park's archives. I worry every day that our Parks will not survive the next 3 (I hope that's all) years.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. You are most welcome Sallie! If you look hard enough, you can almost always find a rock that looks like something. Let's keep our fingers crossed!

      Delete
  16. I do love investigating rocks and the lovely shapes and sizes. Awesome photos.

    ReplyDelete
  17. Truly amazing, those rocks are beautiful, thanks Pat.

    ReplyDelete
  18. The rock formations are stunning. I wonder how many thousands of years of wind and rain and sun and weather it took to create those curved rock forms. Very blue sky too. How hot was it when you were there? And how far off the road do you have to go to find rocks like this?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hey Sham! It takes even longer than you think for the rocks to erode to this point, because they were underground at one time. Believe it or not, it was probably about 70F on the day I took these photos. It actually snows here sometimes. During the non-summer months the weather is probably the best on the continent. It is perfect. Because of that fact hundreds of thousands of "snowbirds" come to the southwest to escape cold weather. Many of those "snowbirds" are Canadian. Some of these fantastic formations are right next to the road. I tend to avoid those spots myself. Thanks for the great comment and questions!

      Delete
  19. Stunning images, Pat! I especially love the one of the Joshua tree because of the beautiful contrast of the rock and tree.

    I can't get over how BLUE the sky is there!

    Thanks so much for sharing!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks so much Ron! I agree with you on the sky. The sky can be very harsh sometimes, but a few clouds really helps. You should see it at night. It is so dark here then.

      Delete
  20. It does look a bit like a backside! ;)
    Amazing formations. I like the look of the 'wave rock'. But plenty of the others too.
    Well done at capturing the artwork.
    Beautiful photogrpahy.
    Cheers Pat.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. There are too many amazing rock "sculptures" here to even see them all.
      Thanks so much Anthony!

      Delete
  21. What gorgeous shots! Love that eagle rock formation.

    ReplyDelete
  22. Amazing - you have once again proved that rock is not just a rock !

    ReplyDelete
  23. This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

    ReplyDelete
  24. Hello, The rock formations are amazing. I see the eagle shape too. I love the joshua trees. Happy Easter to you and your family! Happy Sunday, Enjoy your day and new week ahead!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks Eileen! I agree about the rocks. The whole area is also amazing. Hope you have a great Easter also.

      Delete
  25. I see a raptors beak :) Love those rocks. They are amazing!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks! I see the beak, and it also looks like a breaking wave.

      Delete
  26. The rock formations here are truly spectacular. What a beautiful place to explore.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It really is an amazing place Robin. Most people do everything they can to never even enter the desert. They are missing out on a lot.

      Delete
  27. Loooove the incroyable rock formations Pat, I can see how most people would miss the pictographs, but not the eyes of an expert like yourself!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks Grace! To be honest, I'm really good at finding the areas where they might be, but my wife actually has a better eye for finding the faint ones.

      Delete
  28. Some of your most fascinating photos have been from Joshua Tree, Pat.
    Thanks for posting this series.
    Happy Easter and all good things to you.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks Robyn! There is no shortage of photo-ops there, that is for sure. I'm glad you like these posts. All good things to you as well my friend.

      Delete
  29. That last one looks like a man trapped between the rocks!

    I too love the rocks out there. I was there recently too, and so were a ton of rock climbers this time. I'm actually surprised they let them rock climb in the park.

    I'm all about the trees. I love walking the trails between them, it's so peaceful. :) Just me, the trees, the sky, and the rocks. And maybe some geckos...

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hey VEG! You have a good eye! I didn't say anything about that last one. I wanted to see if anybody would spot it. If there was a prize for this, you just won! Oh yeah, there are almost always a lot of rock climbers there. There are a couple thousand (+/-) climbing routes in the park. It's a climbing mecca, and the park is fine with most of it. I know what you mean about just being out there walking. I love it also. It kind of feels like home to me.

      Delete
  30. WOW just what I was looking for. Came here by searching for szamba plastikowe

    ReplyDelete
  31. WOW!! This is such an amazing series! Great impressions Pat!

    ReplyDelete
  32. Good day I am so thrilled I found your weblog, I really found you by error, while
    I was searching on Askjeeve for something else, Anyways I am here now and would just like to say thanks a lot for a fantastic post and a all round entertaining blog (I also love the theme/design), I don't have time to
    read it all at the minute but I have book-marked it and also added
    your RSS feeds, so when I have time I will be back to
    read much more, Please do keep up the excellent job.

    ReplyDelete
  33. I could not refrain from commenting. Very well written!

    ReplyDelete
  34. Thanks so much Nora! I'm very happy that you enjoy this stuff and regularly comment. You are welcome for for my comments. You just happen to live in one of the most amazing places I've ever been to. Have a good weekend!

    ReplyDelete
  35. I think the 'unremarkable' could be a state of mind rather than a statement of fact with these! I really liked them.

    Cheers - Stewart M - Melbourne

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks Stewart! I believe you might be right.

      Delete
  36. Wow! Not just about the stunning landscape, but I also never realized that there are such things as Joshua trees. I always thought that the name of the national park was merely some kind of biblical reference.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. You were actually pretty much right Dennis. Way back in the day, some Mormons said these trees looked like Joshua with his arms spread. Somehow (if it's actually true) it stuck.

      Delete
  37. The sky always seems to be so blue in your shots, I love it. Plus the rock formations are wonderful. That one looked like an Eagles Beak to me.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I wish it was always that way. Sometimes the light is so harsh, that it washes everything out. When it's good though, it's very good!

      Delete
  38. This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

    ReplyDelete
  39. I would love to explore that place. It's stunning.

    ReplyDelete
  40. I agree Mary! I'm stunned by the landscape every time I go there. If you are ever down this way, it is worth taking some time to look around,

    ReplyDelete
  41. This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

    ReplyDelete
  42. This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

    ReplyDelete
  43. Hi Pat
    I haven't been on here in a while but great to see you are still posting such incredible photos :-) Amazing landscapes!
    Best
    Nat

    ReplyDelete
  44. Hi Nat! Long time...
    I do my best, really happy to see your comment. Hope you are still out and about exploring.

    ReplyDelete
  45. Beautiful photos! I also like your header photo.

    ReplyDelete
  46. Pretty! This was an incredibly wonderful article.
    Many thanks for providing this information.

    ReplyDelete
  47. Replies
    1. Thanks so much for leaving a comment Oscar! I appreciate it.

      Delete

This blog is word verification free.
IS YOURS?
I love your comments and will do my best to respond to each and every one.